Longtime N.J. Chamber of Commerce head to step down after feud with Gov. Christie

Patti Sapone/The Star-LedgerJoan Verplanck, president of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce in her Trenton office in this 2000 file photo.

TRENTON — It was a political test of wills between the new governor and one of the state’s most influential business leaders.

And Gov. Chris Christie won.

Joan Verplanck, the longtime president of the state Chamber of Commerce, is planning to announce tomorrow she is leaving the lobbying group, according to three sources briefed on her plans.

A former head of the Morris County Chamber, Verplanck was on bad terms with Christie, who privately told business leaders he would have a tough time getting close to the chamber as long as Verplanck was still in her position.

During a closed-door meeting in Wildwood last Friday, Verplanck, 64, informed the chamber’s board of her plans, according to the sources, who declined to be identified because they were not authorized to discuss the matter.

The chamber’s spokesman, Anthony Marucci, declined to comment.

Verplanck did not return phone calls and e-mails seeking comment. Chamber Chairman Dennis Bone, the president of Verizon’s New Jersey operations, also declined to comment. Christie spokesman Michael Drewniak had no comment.

State Sen. Joseph Kyrillos (R-Monmouth), a key Christie adviser who chaired the Republican’s campaign, said the chamber is one of the traditional pro-business organizations that has had to find new footing with the departure of the Democratic administration.

"The various groups have gotten the message that they need to be full partners in making New Jersey competitive again," Kyrillos said. "The chamber and all business groups in this state need to rebrand and reinvent themselves."

Word of Verplanck’s decision spread through the capitol today as lobbyists descended on the Statehouse for the final round of hearings leading to next week’s scheduled adoption of the 2010-2011 state budget. Verplanck will not be replaced immediately, two of the sources said. Instead, the board will conduct a three-month search for a new chief executive for the century-old organization.

Verplanck has run the chamber for 15 years. She and Christie butted heads last year during the hard-fought gubernatorial campaign. After he won, the governor and his inner circle made it clear they were displeased with the chamber and Verplanck, in particular. They claimed the chamber kept its distance from Christie during the year leading up to the November election to curry favor with then-Gov. Jon Corzine, betting the Democratic incumbent would win the race.

Christie publicly rebuffed the chamber in January by boycotting the trade group’s annual train ride to Washington, D.C., usually a key coming-out appearance for a new governor. Christie stayed in Trenton for his first cabinet meeting and ordered his senior staff and cabinet members to boycott the ride with him.

At the time, Verplanck said: "Trenton’s a small town, and things get blown way out of proportion."